I posted on FB in response to someone’s posting about chat/shouting etc during Richard’s songs at Wakefield last night. I agree but there are things that we the paying punters can do to mobilise/force change
1. Unpopular as this might sound, the artist needs to know there’s a problem - it’s well documented that Richard does, and has got stuck in from the stage when he’s aware. However other artists might not know, so why not get on FB or forums and let them know
2. Venues have some responsibility in managing this. Especially if policing respectful behaviour to the artist and other concert-goers has been requested by the artist’s management within the booking contract. Announcements on the PA before the artists go on-stage, notices around the venue, statements on the back of tickets about unruly/anti-social behaviour can all help. We’ve probably all heard the one about “keep off the pitch or risk a fine” - that sort of thing. All this being said, venues won’t do anything unless customers complain to venue management both at the time and after the event (in case you’re thinking what a lot of shite, what’s this bloke on, I have Live Nation in the chair for £750 worth of replacement tickets following Fleetwood Mac at Wembley last summer - that was due to sound quality and there being no alternative seating available). I put it to you, it can be done if we don’t all let apathy rule !
3. Staff at venues generally in my experience, don’t have the training or expertise to handle unruly/persistently loud/aggressive/awkward. Venues may have to upweight capability. We may have to pay a quid or two more for tickets in the long run.
4. Whether you can or should try to remove a paying customer from a venue for talking is a moot point- however removal from the auditorium is a very reasonable and achievable objective in the event customers complain to staff about persistently noisy oiks spoiling the majority’s enjoyment
We just have to get off our ar$es and start the process rolling.
Good luck
What say you ?
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